Watch the moment a GB News audience member on Patrick Christys Tonight grills Labour’s Barry Gardiner over rape gangs.
The man in question suggested the Government is guilty of “ducking the issue” and the scandal should dwarf the Jimmy Savile case.
He says: “Before I ask the question – I want to say I think Charlie Peters has done an absolutely fabulous job. He’s shone a light on something that is an absolute cesspit of depravity, it needs further light shining on it.
“I hope he doesn’t give up and I want to know why is Labour ducking this issue? Why does the Prime Minister constantly change his mind and then fiddle around with overseas nonsense so that he doesn’t have to address it?
The audience member grilled Barry Gardiner
GB NEWS
“Why is it that Jess Phillips suddenly changes her mind? Why does your Government make promises and then go back on what they promised to do originally? What are they frightened of? What are they hiding underneath?
“I think this is 100 times worse than Jimmy Savile. I’d like to know from you what your Government and your party is going to actually do to bring justice to more than 1500 girls.”
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Patrick Christys also stepped in to quiz Gardiner
GB NEWS
Gardiner responded: “Let me start off by telling you what we have done. Professor Jay’s inquiry, the national inquiry that did take place had 20 recommendations.
“For three years, the Government didn’t implement a single one of them. We implemented the Jay recommendations in the legislation we put through previously. When we came into Government, that was one of the first things we did.
“If you listen carefully to what was said in the clip, it talked about conducting local inquiries. My understand is that is still what we’re doing local inquiries.”
Patrick Christys put it to Gardiner that local councils have the ability to opt out of conducting inquiries.
He responded: “My understand is – we promised local inquiries and we said there will be local inquiries. We can then get local people, local knowledge and identify local culprits.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has insisted that five promised local inquiries into grooming gangs will proceed, amid confusion over the government’s commitment.
The controversy erupted after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips failed to provide an update on the inquiries during a statement to parliament on Tuesday, just before recess.
Instead, Phillips told MPs that local authorities would be able to access a £5m fund to support locally-led work on grooming gangs.
Cooper clarified on Thursday that the “victim-centred, locally-led inquiries” will still go ahead as planned.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed that the government would fund any further local inquiries into grooming gangs that are deemed necessary.
However, he emphasised his “strong belief” that the focus must be on implementing recommendations from the Alexis Jay national review before more investigations proceed.
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